Glenorchy City Council held its eighth meeting for 2023 on Monday 28 August. At the meeting 9 Elected Members were present.
Highlights from the meeting are as follows:
Glenorchy Memorial Pool
After receiving a formal report on the condition of the Glenorchy Pool at its July meeting, Council received a follow up report to outline council’s advocacy to State and Federal Government and the next steps in the process.
As outlined in the previous report, the pool has served the community extremely well over the last 60 years, but it has reached a point where it is deteriorating faster than it can be maintained and is no longer safe for the community to use.
The report detailed Council’s liaison with the State and Federal Governments seeking support for the facility over the past 2 years.
The report outlined a proposed way forward on investigations around the pool and site. Council resolved to initiate a project to investigate pool redevelopment or alternative options for the site.
Cultural Celebrations Grants
Following Council’s June decision to discontinue the Moonah Taste of the World Festival and trial a Cultural Celebrations Grant Program, Council endorsed the grant program guidelines and process. Applications will open from Sept to 31 March 2023. Events are to be free and inclusive and to occur before 31 May 2023.
The grants program will offer grants of up to $25,000 for organisations to:
- Design and deliver events to celebrate cultural diversity, and to
- Strengthen Community Connection.
Guidelines and application forms for the trial program will be launched shortly on Council’s website and support for any community organisations considering applying is available via Council’s Events Officer, Carly Allen – carly.allen@gcc.tas.gov.au or calling Council’s Customer Service team on 6216 6800.
Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
Council has a long and proud history of working with the Aboriginal community. In 1997, Council committed to reconciliation through its Commitment to Aboriginal Australians statement and has honoured this commitment by working to understand, acknowledge and appreciate Aboriginal history and society in our community since this time.
Recently Council set out on the journey to develop a Reflect RAP guiding Council to develop a vision and understanding for reconciliation, which has been led by the Mayor and General Manager.
Council’s Reflect RAP has been developed with guidance from Reconciliation Australia, which has included some mandatory actions. Council’s Reflect RAP addresses several of the ‘Closing the Gap’ targets, indirectly aligning to the National Agreement and the Tasmanian Government’s Implementation Plan.
Some features of the Reflect RAP are:
- acknowledging and honouring the Traditional Custodians of our Council area and their distinctive, cultural, spiritual, physical, and economic relationship with Land and Waters
- making our Council and community a more welcoming and culturally safe place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- remaining accountable and responsive to the needs and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our community; and
- strengthening our relationships with local Aboriginal organisations in their essential role of advancing the rights, interests, and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Glenorchy.
The Reflect RAP is a positive opportunity to celebrate Council’s leadership in reconciliation in local government, demonstrating Council’s commitment to building stronger relationships, through raising awareness of Aboriginal culture, aspirations of Aboriginal people and recognition of significant events.
The Reflect RAP was adopted unanimously by Council.
Digital Ready for Daily Life program
In an increasingly digital world, the ability to use digital devices and services has become a fundamental skill for navigating daily life. Language, Literacy, Numeracy and Digital (LLND) skills are now recognised as fundamental to improved workforce participation, productivity, and social inclusion.
The Digital Ready for Daily Life digital inclusion program is to help improve the digital skills of Tasmanians, particularly focussing on the more vulnerable in our community.
Council has been approached by the State Government to be one of four communities in the state to deliver the Digital Ready for Daily Life (DRDL) program.
The proposed grant, at a total of $182,601.10, will fund one full officer and a trainer for 18 months, as well as funding the set up and equipment (including laptops and tablets) and materials required to deliver the program.
Council approved the application to the State Government for the Digital Ready for Daily Life program and is looking forward to an announcement of the outcome in the near future.
Disposal of Council Land – 12 Rothesay Circle, Goodwood
At its May meeting, after a period of Community consultation earlier in 2023, Council resolved to form an intention to dispose of 12 Rothesay Circle, Goodwood to Karadi Aboriginal Corporation, by way of donation under Section 178 of the Local Government Act 1993.
Section 178 of the Act sets out the process that must be followed by a Council which intends to dispose of public land.
Council has completed the process and at this meeting considered the one objection lodged and whether to take any action regarding the objection.
Council resolved to proceed with the land disposal to Karadi Aboriginal Corporation. The objector has the right to appeal the decision.
Proceeds of Property Disposals – Annual Report
Council also received the annual report on land disposals under the Proceeds of Property Disposals Policy from 1 July 2022 until 30 June 2023.
The Policy was established to provide transparency and consistency in the use of funds from sales of Council land. The aim of the Policy is to increase the overall benefit of open space in the municipal area by redirecting proceeds from the sale of underutilised sites into new, improved parcels of open space.
During the period outlined, two properties were sold totalling net proceeds of $1,390,750.25.
The two properties were:
- 5a Taree Street, Chigwell – net proceeds of $1,219,643.42
- 3 Edgar Street, Claremont – net proceeds of $171,106.83
Allocations of those funds were:
- $390,750.25 was allocated to the Property Disposals Reserve fund, and,
- $1,000,000 was allocated to the Benjafield Playspace Renewal, following a Council resolution at its meeting on 19 December 2022.
The report also updated Council on the proceeds from the former Derwent Entertainment Centre sale. Having considered the intent and requirements of the Policy, Council, at its December 2021 meeting, allocated up to $3,003,962 from the DEC sale proceeds to the Tolosa Dam reintegration project.
This leaves $2.529 million remaining from the former DEC sale considering up to $2.4m has been allocated to the realignment of Loyd Rd.
You can view the full agenda and minutes on Council’s website, via this link https://www.gcc.tas.gov.au/council/council-meetings/minutes-and-agendas/